All News

May 02, 2011

Unexpected: Textron Announces Pelton Retirement

OK... we're not sure what to make of this right now... but
Textron Inc. has JUST announced that Jack J. Pelton, chairman,
president and CEO of its Cessna Aircraft unit, has retired from the
company, and that a search for his successor is underway. Textron
Chairman and CEO Scott C. Donnelly will run the business until a
successor is named.

Improvements Help Glider CFIs Qualify for Master
Accreditations

Master Instructors LLC recently announced revisions to its
Master Instructor Continuing Education Program to improve
participation by glider instructors. An advisory committee of five
Master CFIs who also were experienced glider instructors developed
a number of glider-specific recommendations that have been
incorporated into the Master Instructor application package.

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Urges Standards For All Airline Pilots

ALPA President, Capt. Lee Moak, issued the following statement
in response to the NTSB meeting last week regarding the 2009 Empire
Airlines Flight 8284 accident at Lubbock, Texas. “The
Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l, commends the National
Transportation Safety Board for its work to enhance aviation safety
with a thorough review of the Empire Airlines accident. In its
meeting, the Board discussed flight crew fatigue, flight operations
in icing conditions, and the need to enhance crew resource
management training for all airline pilots. Unfortunately, these
safety concerns, which ALPA has pressed to address for decades,
persist in our industry today, even in this period of remarkably
safe airline operations...

More Than 330 Firm Orders And Commitments Are Reportedly On The
Books

European planemaker Airbus says the exceptional commercial
activity for its A320neo (new engine option) is led by a
100-aircraft order from international leasing company ILFC - which
was announced earlier this week, finalizing a memorandum of
understanding inked in March.

Objects Impacted At About 11,000 MPH

Late last year, astronomers noticed an asteroid named Scheila
had unexpectedly brightened, and it was sporting short-lived
plumes. Data from NASA's Swift satellite and Hubble Space Telescope
showed these changes likely occurred after Scheila was struck by a
much smaller asteroid.

Partnership To Support FMS Procurement Of German MQ-9
Reaper

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been signed between
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, (GA-ASI) and RUAG Aerospace
Services GmbH to offer the Predator B UAS to meet the surveillance
needs of the Federal Republic of Germany.

Flightline Electronics introduced the Auracle system some months back... and the engine monitoring game got quite a boost in the process, as the Auracle line worked heard and well to prove itself the most advanced, reliable engine management system available today for single and now twin-engine aircraft. The system offers comprehensive engine and fuel situational awareness, delivered on a stunning full-color glass panel display, with intuitive controls and easily recognizable indicators that mimic familiar analog gauges.

One of the things that never ceases to amaze those of us at ANN is the amazing breadth of humanity that finds its way to the aviation world. Man, woman, black, white, red, yellow, liberal, conservative, gay, straight... such titles disappear in seconds when such people are united by the common bond of aviation and the talk turns to flying. And at the 2011 Women In Aviation Convention, that was obvious to one and all as members of the NGPA participated in what has become one of the most positive gatherings of any that we know in all of aviation.

Shuttle Endeavour Launch No Earlier Than May 8

While the ANN crew sure enjoyed the few hours we spent last week
at the cape in preparation for the launch of STS-1243... we sure
did not enjoy the other ritual we have come to know all too well...
the Launch Scrub. NASA managers have determined space shuttle
Endeavour will not launch before Sunday, May 8, but will not
officially set a new launch date until early this week. After
Friday's launch scrub, Kennedy Space Center technicians searched
for the cause of a failure in a heater circuit associated with
Endeavour's hydraulic power system. The failure was found to be in
a power circuit in a switchbox in the shuttle's aft
compartment.

The Aviation World Attracts Of All Manner Of Flyer

One of the things that never ceases to amaze those of us at ANN
is the amazing breadth of humanity that finds its way to the
aviation world. Man, woman, black, white, red, yellow, liberal,
conservative, gay, straight... such titles disappear in seconds
when such people are united by the common bond of aviation and the
talk turns to flying. And at the 2011 Women In Aviation Convention,
that was obvious to one and all as members of the NGPA participated
in what has become one of the most positive gatherings of any that
we know in all of aviation.

YouTube Video Suggests Real Problems With Tri-Engine
Airliner

The data is quite sparse, but a video uploaded to YouTube by
Russia Today sure suggests that a recent TU-154 TakeOff could have
gone pretty wrong. The video shows the triple-engine airliner
gyrating fairly aggressively in all three axes with significant yaw
and roll excursions that sure seem to indicate that someone in the
cockpit was not having a good time. If the video is for real
(remember, this is YouTube), the TU-154 was able to be brought back
to a safe landing at a Moscow airport despite the significant
control issues clearly shown in the video. Minimal details
currently available suggest that the aircraft was flown only by the
flight crew and that no passengers were on board and that his might
suggest that t

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Versatile Engine Monitoring System Takes On Turbine Tasks

Flightline Electronics introduced Auracle system some months
back... and the engine monitoring game got quite a boost in the
process, as the Auracle line worked heard and well to prove itself
the most advanced, reliable engine management system available
today for single and now twin-engine aircraft. The system
offers comprehensive engine and fuel situational awareness,
delivered on a stunning full-color glass panel display, with
intuitive controls and easily recognizable indicators that mimic
familiar analog gauges.

As Flying Gets More Expensive, Will We Still Be Willing To Pay
The Price?

Be honest; you’ve asked yourself this very question
haven’t you? If you have a pilot’s license, own an
airplane, or have any interest in aviation what so ever, you know
what I’m talking about. There you are just going about your
day when BOOM, the thought of seven dollar Avgas, $500 hangar rent,
$2500 annuals, registration fees, taxes, and TSA restrictions to
liberty flash through your head like that feeling when you realize
you’ve left your wallet or purse on the gas station counter.
Panic jolts the senses, a sick feeling comes over you, and until
you have that wallet in your possession, nothing else matters. You
know what I’m talking about. You just haven’t had

The Decision To Abort A Faltering Takeoff Is A Tough One

Sometimes it starts as no more than a weird feeling... other
times, it has more concrete reasons... but the decision to abort a
takeoff, in progress, can be one of the most critical in aviation.
And sometimes, the only true arbiter as to he correctness of the
decision relies on one simple questions... did everyone walk away
in one piece? This time, they did... and we look forward to more
info as to what might have caused the takeoff issues that led to
the decision to abort.

"The timing of today's closing in the current market
environment could not be more important. With soaring fuel costs
putting many airlines, yet again, in the red, Southwest brings many
strengths to bear." Source: Gary Kelly, CEO, Chairman, and
President of Southwest Airlines.

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Azores High
A semi-permanent, subtropical area
of high pressure in the North Atlantic Ocean that migrates east and
west with varying central pressure. Depending on the season, it has
different names. In the Northern Hemispheric winter and early
spring, when the Icelandic Low dominates the North Atlantic, it is
primarily centered near the Azores Islands. When it is displaced
westward, during the summer and fall, the center is located in the
western North Atlantic, near Bermuda, and is known as the Bermuda
High.

Aero-Linx: Sustainable Aviation
Fuel Users Group
The Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group was formed in
September 2008 with support and advice from the world's leading
environmental organizations such as the Natural Resources Defense
Council and the Roundtable for Sustainable Biofuels (RSB). The
group is focused on accelerating the development and
commercialization of sustainable aviation biofuels.
All members have signed a Sustainability Pledge, and believe
that a key driver to a carbon neutral industry is advancing and
adopting sustainable aviation biofuels. Sustainable aviation
biofuels will perform equal to, or better than, petroleum based
fuels and will have a carbon neutral lifecycle - production through
use.

"The shuttle has three Auxiliary Power Units (APUs) that
provide hydraulic power to steer the vehicle during ascent and
entry. The hydrazine fuel lines on each APU have two heater
circuits that prevent the fuel from freezing while the shuttle is
in space."
Source: NASA's description of the equipment
(and their function) that forced Friday's launch scrub
for the flight of STS-134... now scheduled for no earlier than May
the 8th.